Mary Portas and her neighbours in affluent Primrose Hill were celebrating today after defeating a bid by developers to turn a mews of studios into luxury flats.
Plans submitted to Camden Council intended to change the Utopia Village complex, which houses 250 people working across 22 businesses, into 52 residential units.
Opponents feared the loss of offices would kill off daytime trade and wreck the area’s village feel.
Ms Portas, who advises the government on regenerating high streets, had warned Camden Council of the potential damage in allowing the development, saying: “The footfall which supports our local shops in the daytime comes predominantly from those who work in the local businesses themselves.”
New government planning laws introduced in May have made it easier for offices to be turned into housing, bypassing the usual planning permission process with councils, but developers must still request ‘prior approval’.
Camden Council has now refused the change of use application citing parking problems, pressure on local schools and loss of privacy to the area’s exclusive residents which include Kate Moss, Sadie Frost, Jude Law, Gwen Stefani, Tim Burton and Rachel Weisz.
Martin Sheppard, chairman of community group Gloucester Avenue Association, said he was delighted with the council’s decision.
“The offices are perfectly harmless but if they became residential units it would be very bad for the life of the area.
“If we have people coming into the area for work that means customers for the shops at lunchtime rather than just at weekends.
“We have saved a lot of jobs and all that those people bring to our village.”
Camden Council this week joined Islington Council in challenging the government’s planning reforms that make it hard for councils to object to offices being converting into houses.
